Like loads of others, I’m sure, my evening skincare routine is a wee bit more intensive than my morning one and although I would describe myself as someone who is dedicated to their routine, although it tends to vary night to night throughoutthe week in terms of treatments – I’ll get onto this later.Because my eyes are so sensitive and dry, I always begin with two cotton pads soaked in the cult-favourite Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Solution ($22) and hold them over my eyes for up to a minute to thoroughly remove mascara and other stubborn makeup although I’m sure others could get away using the cleansers to remove eye makeup as they are so gentle.

Not just because of the recent widespread belief in double-cleansing at nighttime, I’ve been dedicated to washing my face twice at night because I have the kind of skin that makeup clings to like nothing else in this world; I’m fortunate that I’m someone whose foundation stays on the skin for an amazing amount of time but this characteristic has made intensive but supremely-gentle cleansing essential to the whole skincare shebang. For the first cleanse, I alternate between the Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($9-12) and the Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser ($12) as both textures of products nourish the skin while cleansing gently and removing makeup with ease. I might be tempted to say that the cleansing oil has slightly stronger makeup removing power as it can remove makeup completely and to be honest, I can be satisfied with a single thorough wash with this one (on a rare occasion when I’m feeling spectacularly lazy) but it is the messier option of the two and contains mineral oil – I know mineral oil is problematic to some but it isn’t for my fragile skin type. I make sure to always use a washcloth with the first cleanse to ensure that the makeup has been truly removed.

I have the kind of skin that holds onto foundation and the like in the same manner as glue I reckon and therefore even before all of that double cleansing hoopla took over, I was faithful to cleansing the face twice; unless I’m not wearing makeup (or sunscreen – naughty), I cleanse my skin the second-time with the basic fragrance-free non-foaming lightweight thin gel-cream Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser ($11-12). This cleanser actually does remove makeup as well but I prefer to go in with a more nourishing oil-based cleanser beforehand and strikes me as the superior version of Cetaphil. 

Five (or six on occasion) times per week, I go for a product of the gentle chemical exfoliant variety. I’m still faithful to my long-time trio of gentle exfoliants of this variety – the BHA-based Clinique Mild Clarifying Solution ($16) and the slightly more concentrated Neutrogena 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment ($10-12) as well as my much-loved AHA-based Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright Cream-Serum ($40) – but I’ve also recently brought the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads ($14/37) as my supply of the cream-serum is dwindling. Although it isn’t strictly a chemical exfoliant but rather a gentle alcohol-free retinoid and antibiotic gel that rapidly increases the cell-turnover, I figured I would include the expensive prescription-only topical called Bianca ($90) that I’ve added back into to my routine 2-3x a week at this stage. I will warn you, however, that these retinoid products are one of the very few products that cause purging in the skin initially before the improvement begins.

If I haven’t already applied a serum-textured product in the above stage (the Neutrogena, Indeed Labs or Bianca), I’ve been applying the lightweight La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense ($35) serum before moisturizing with the soothing Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator ($45) that am a huge fan of. A few times a week, when I’m not going for a chemical exfoliant or I’m opting for one of the serum-textured-variety, I go for the soothing and brightening Organic Rosehip Oil, applying it on top of everything in the case of the first scenario and applying it over the chemical exfoliant in the second, skipping the moisturizer altogether.

When I’m not entirely too lazy to remember, I slather my poor chapped lips with the lovely multipurpose La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 ($16). 

This might seem rather exhaustive or unlike a routine at all but I promise that it is a constant routine that I follow and takes less than five minutes and it’s entirely worthwhile, for my skin at least.

Have you tried any of these products? What does your nighttime routine look like?

Maggie, x.

P.S. There will most likely be a weekly treatments post up in the near future…